For Patients

Our first statement is for informational purposes, to inform you that we have billed your insurance carrier for our services. If you do not carry insurance coverage, then we expect payment within 30 days. If you are unable to pay your balance in full, you may request payment arrangements.

Some insurance companies require us to bill separately for the Physician and the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist if both provided services. Once your insurance carrier is billed, they will approve the appropriate payment and process your claim.

The facility charges for the anesthetic equipment, drugs, and supplies that were used during your procedure. Our anesthesia charge is for our professional services only during your procedure.

We are contracted with most major insurance companies. When we have an agreement with an insurance company, we must take a provider adjustment since you used a network provider. If the insurance company does not pay according our contract, we submit an appeal for additional payment. At this point no action is required from you, unless you would like to call your insurance company.

If we are not contracted with your insurance company, then the balance on the account becomes the patient‘s responsibility. At this point, you need to contact us in order to make payment arrangements. If a non-contracted insurance company pays substantially lower than the usual rates, we can assist you in getting your account reviewed by your insurance carrier. Our experience shows that a large percentage of claims receive additional consideration by insurance companies after review is requested by the patient and the provider.

We submit your claim to both insurance companies. First, we file with the primary insurance company and when they pay, we next submit the claim to your secondary carrier with the explanation of benefits from the primary carrier. We would like to have payment from the secondary insurance within 45-60 days of billing them. We follow-up with the companies regularly, but sometimes run into challenges, so you may be billed for the balance after this time. The patient’s assistance in calling the insurance company in these situations is always appreciated and often effective in resolving claims.

We typically bill the insurance company that is provided to us by the medical facility where you had your procedure. If we billed the wrong carrier, please call us so we can re-issue the bill for our services. It is not unusual, however, for health insurance companies to pay for our services and later receive refunds from a liability carrier upon settlement of a claim.

Sometimes, we are provided incorrect or incomplete insurance information by the medical facility. Our first statement indicates the carrier that was billed. If you notice a concern, please contact our office.

We understand that some patients may not be able to immediately pay their balances in full. In these circumstances, payment plans can usually be arranged, typically over a several month period. Call our office and request to talk to the billing department about this option.

The main purpose of the PACE Clinic is to improve preoperative medical evaluation and shared decision-making. Evidence-based preoperative medical assessment reduces patient complications and costs. The PACE Clinic is designed to also increase patient satisfaction by allowing patients to have an appointment before the day of the procedure to discuss their medical and anesthetic concerns and history and to better understand the potential risks and benefits of different treatment options. By its design, the Clinic also is beneficial to the efficiency of the surgical experience by reducing unnecessary delays and tests while ensuring appropriate tests and consultations are performed before the procedure.

Clinic operations are supported by Mercy Hospital-St. Louis and its surgeons to increase value for patients as well as scheduling efficiency. Our group charges a nominal fee for patients that are seen and evaluated by our staff in the PACE Clinic.

Yes, we accept Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American Express. Please use the online electronic payment portal or call our office. We also accept payment by check, money order, and cash.